Bill to cut benefit for anti-social behaviour falls in Commons

A government-backed bill to reduce housing benefit for families
responsible for anti-social behaviour has failed to become law,
writes David Brown.

The Housing Benefit (Withdrawal of Payment) Bill, proposed by
Labour MP Frank Field, failed to complete its passage through the
House of Commons after running out of time on Friday.

The housing charity Shelter said it feared the bill would have
caused homelessness and exacerbated poverty among poor
families.

Campaigners in Scotland said the bill would have cut across
existing sanctions available to tackle anti-social behaviour, which
are broader than those in the rest of Britain.

Robert Aldridge, director of the Scottish Council for Single
Homeless, said: “The bill would have been expensive to implement
and ineffective.”

Meanwhile, plans to withdraw child benefit payments from parents
who refuse to ensure their children attend school, are still being
actively considered despite reports of a Cabinet revolt, Downing
Street has insisted.